LOWER DIR: Jamaat-i-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq has said that the government is collecting 40 different taxes from the rich and poor alike, which is a great injustice with the latter. He said that the government should take immediate steps to provide relief to the masses.

He was addressing the ‘Khatam-i-Bukhari Sharif’ function at Ahyaul Uloom Balambat as chief guest here on Sunday. The function was also addressed by JI district chief Izazul Mulk and former MNA Maulana Asadullah. A total of 195 male and female students graduated from the Balambat seminary this year.

Sirajul Haq said that abolition of the posts of theology teachers at government primary schools was part of a conspiracy. He asked the government not to divide educational boards of seminaries’ education on the basis of sects.

The JI chief demanded of the government to introduce a uniform system of education in all seminaries and educational institutions.

“Religious institutions are the fortresses of Islam and we should protect them at any cost,” he said and added that they would strengthen the system of Zakat and Ushr instead of taxes if their party was voted to power.

Criticising the government, he said the PTI failed to fulfil the pledges it had made with the masses and youth. He said the government had increased power tariff six times and prices of fuel twice in a month.

VARSITY TEACHERS: All Pakistan Universities BPS Teachers Association president Prof Dr Samiur Rehman has submitted details of the draft of Basic Pay Scale teachers’ appointment and promotion to the chairman of Higher Education Commission, said a press release issued here on Sunday.

It said that the universities had two types of teachers; TTS (Tenure Track System) and BPS which had created disparity among the faculty members.

“The rights of promotion are duly granted to the TTS teachers while the BPS teachers in universities are facing delays in promotion though the same right is protected for BPS teachers in the HEC Ordinance 2002,” Dr Samiur Rehman said.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2021